Wedding Day
Preparation Guide

If possible, try to have hair, makeup, and getting dressed happen near a window with natural light. It keeps photos soft and natural looking.

Getting-ready rooms naturally fill up with bags, clothes, makeup, and drinks. If possible, keeping one area near a window relatively clear makes photos easier and avoids having to move a lot of things around.

• Spare bobby pins
• Emergency sewing kit
• Small scissors
• Spray deodorant (avoids white residue on dresses)
• Fashion tape / dress tape
• Adhesive bra cups or stick-on support
• Clear bandaids or medical tape for shoe rubbing
• Dental picks or floss picks
• Tissues or handkerchief for happy tears

• Heel caps to prevent sinking
• Shoes with a wider heel base
• A second pair of comfortable shoes for later

If your dress has a bustle, practice it ahead of time. Ask the person helping to try it during the fitting and take a photo or short video of the bustle points. Bustles are one of the most common things people struggle with during the reception.

Think about how the veil will attach and blend with your hairstyle during your hair trial. Many veils are secured with bobby pins from the sides and bottom. For coastal weddings especially, wind can move a long veil considerably — worth discussing with your stylist how to secure it so it holds through portraits.

• Haircut 1–2 days before the wedding
• If shaving, do it the night before or early morning to avoid irritation
• Send reminder to pick up suits ahead of time

• Brush or comb and hair product
• Shoe horn (rental shoes are often stiff)
• Cufflinks if required
• Pocket squares — decide fold style and save a reference photo

If you're giving groomsmen gifts during getting ready, keep them accessible rather than buried in bags. That moment photographs well and tends to happen naturally when everything isn't being hunted for. See the Gifts & Champagne section for more on timing.

• Show photos of your dress to your stylist and makeup artist
• Talk about how makeup and hair will hold up over many hours
• Discuss blending makeup to neck, collarbone, and shoulders if needed
• Ask how stylist plans to secure your hairstyle against wind and movement
• Mention any tattoos, scars, or marks you want covered or left visible
• If spray tanning — do a trial run in advance to check tone and finish

It's often easier to give gifts in the getting-ready suite rather than the night before. That way nothing gets forgotten at an Airbnb or hotel room. Simple gift bags in white, black, or craft paper look great without needing to be complicated.

• Plan to give gifts in the getting-ready suite, not the night before
• If you want reactions captured, let everyone know to wait for the photographer

If you plan to pop a cork or spray champagne for photos, bring a bottle to actually enjoy plus one or two extras for the fun moment. That way the good champagne doesn't get wasted.

• Bring one good bottle to enjoy + extras if spraying for photos

• Facebook Marketplace
• Local wedding Facebook groups
• Reddit wedding planning communities
• Craigslist

Some couples choose to have an unplugged ceremony where guests put phones away and stay present. If that's something you want, it works best when the officiant announces it right before the ceremony begins — signs alone tend to get ignored.

Another option: have the officiant invite guests to take a quick photo once the couple reaches the front, then ask everyone to put phones away for the remainder.

If sunglasses are part of the day, coordinate the style so everything looks consistent in photos. They don't need to be expensive — neutral styles in black, white, or natural wood grain work best. Avoid novelty or monogrammed styles, as they can feel dated in photos later.